John h



(No Model.) e WAITE. AGEIYLENB "GAS GENERATOR.

No. 573,938; :"Paltented 1350.29; 1896,

Tm: mams Ps1-:ns co. PHOTO-Limo.. WASHINGTON, n4 c i y l' UNITED STATESA 'PATENT. OFFICE. y

.IoI-IN I-I. wAIrE,` "or Rock "FALLS, IL

LINoIs, AssIGNoR To JUDD DECKER,

. oFsTERLINe, ILLINoIs.

. j ACETYLENE-xeAs GI-:NERATOFL` sPEcIFIcATIoNfm-mmg part fof LettersPatent No. 573,938, dated December 29, 1896.

l Application `iiled Semtember12.` 1896. Serial No. 605,607. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom mayozwew/a-z z.

I Be it known that I, JOHN H. WAITE, acitizen of the UnitedStates,residing`at YRock Falls, in the county` of :Whiteside and StateVof Illinois, haveinvented 'certain new ,and

useful Improvementsin Acetylene-Gas Genj erators; and I do declare thefollowingto be.

a full, clear, and `exact description of the `invention, such as willTenable'others skilled inthe art to which `it appertains to make` anduse the same, reference being had to the aol erators, and pertainsspecially to a novel construction whereby the manufacture of the gaswithin the gas-chamber is automatically regulated and provision made for`renewing the Acarbid and removing the limeresulting from the chemicalaction, while the gas-chamber isl filled without reducing the pressureof the f gas therein.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central Vertical section of my device.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the `cover thereof. Fig.'3 is a centralvertical section of my invention in modified form.

Similar figures refer throughout the drawings. y

1 is a water-tank,win which the gas-holder 2 has vertical telescopicmovement.

3 is an annular casting secured to the generator by means of the ilange4, between which and the generator.. is the gasket 5, to

prevent leakage of the gas between such parts.

The casting 3 serves as a support or seat `ii'or `the cover and isprojected downward through 1 a circular opening 6 in the top of thegenerathe collar 7 and the upper part 10 loosely The cylinder 8 pro?`tor, forming the collar 7 8 is a cylinder formed of two parts 9 and 10,the lower part 9 being rigidly secured to seated `uponthe part 9. jectsdownward the same distance as the walls of the gas-holder, thelower endthereof being` always below` the `water-line, (represented by the dottedline 00,) so as to prevent gas entering such cylinder from below.

11 represents a packing between the cylinto similar parts` I der 8 andcollar 7, extending below the j unction ofthe two parts of saidcylinder.

12 12 are apertures extending through the movable portion 10 of thecylinder. 13 13 are v"similar and corresponding openings through thecollar 7T and the packing between it and the cylinder.

14` indicates a cover seated upon the support 3 and separated therefromby an annular gasket 15. The casting 3 is further `provided `with twosupports 16, having outwardlyformed lugs 17 and inwardly-formed lugs 18,which latter lugs project over the cover and prevent its removal. `Thecover 14 is secured ftightlyagainst its seat4 by means of an ordinaryclamp-and-screw device 19, which engages the lugs 17. The cover isfurther provided with recesses 20, which permit a removal of such cover`when they coincide in line and position with the lugs 18.

21 21 are handles on the upper side of the coverwhich assist in turningor lifting the same.

On the lower face of the cover 14 are one ,or more `lugs 22, whichengage corresponding recesses 23 in the movable portion 10 of thecylinder 8.` j

24 is a short pipe provided with a stop-cock to permit the escape of airfrom the cylinder when the gas is iirst being generated therein. Asimilar pipe 25 permits a similar escape of air from the gas-holden Itwill be readily apparent that when the cover 14 is in position a rotarymovement of it will give to the movable portion 10 of the cylinder asimilar movement and the apertures 12 therein be made to correspond withthe apertures 13 in the collar 7 or not, as desired. The arrangement ofthe lugs 18 and recesses 2O is suchthat when they exactly coincide, asshown in Fig. 2, the apertures 12 and 13 do not coincide and allcommunication between the cylinder 8 and gas-holder 2 is completely cutoff, so that the `coverean be Vremoved. When the cover is replacedand"turned a certain distance, such apertures again correspond andcommunicationfisreestablished between the two compartments. To precludethe dangerof the coverandicylinder being turned too far,so as to reclosesuch openings, l provide projections or stops 26 on the cover 14, whichstrike against .thefs'up portsI 16 and'prevent further movement of thecover or movable part of the cylinder.

Within the cylinder S is the carbid-cylinder 27, having lugs 2S,supporting the annular rim 29, to which is secured a hemisphericalbasket 30, constructed of open'wirework.

3l is a bar secured to the rim 29 by means of braces 32 32, from whichbar 31 is suspended the cylindrical refuse-pan 33 by means of hooks 3434.

The rim 29 is recessed similarly to the cover 14, so `that when lsuolirim is turned until ythe recesses 4coincide with the lugs 28 the basketcan be removed from the lower end of the cylinder 27.

f' On the lower face of the cover 14-is the ring 35, tofwhich is hookedthe 'rod 3G. Secured to the top of the cylinder 27 is a cross-piece 37,having an aperture 38, in which the rod 3G ffhas vcrticalplay, sucliaperture being slightly Ulargerthan the diameter of said rod, which isthreaded at this point and provided with vburs 39 and 40.

' 40 is so situated on the rod 3G as to be in con- Atact withthecross-piece 37 when the gas- "liolder is atfits lowest'point, when thegas is risethe cylinder 27' will rise immediately with the gas-holder;but if the bur is placed at a lowerV point on the `rod 3G as thegas-holder risessuch rod will be drawn up through the 'aperture 3S untilthe bur 40 comes in contact with-the cross-piece 37, and the cylinder 27'will not beelevated until such contact takes place. By thisconstruction the length of time ofl thev contact of the water and carbidcan be regulated or gaged and ythe manufacturing process prolonged orshortened, as desired.

` It is preferable to expose but a small part of the carbid to the waterat'one timev and the-'hemispherical shape of the basket assists greatlyin accomplishing this, as a` very'small area or larger Yone may be'exposed, as desired, but in receptacleshaving at'bottonis this cannot beregulated.

`By'locating the'basket 30 above the bottom of the cylinder 27 the gasgenerated cannot passoutward'and up between the cylinders S and 27, butmustpass up through the carbid inthe carbid-cylinder, keeping the samefree from steam.

41 is -a pipe by means of 'which thel gas can be conveyed from thegas-holder to other -gasoine'te1's, ifdesired, or the gas-holder can beprovided'with ya pipe 42 and the gas used directly` therefrom.

In operation the cylinder 27 is filled with calcic carbidand suspendedin the cylinder S, softliatftlie carbid comes in contact with lthewaterThe cover is secured in-position "and clamped down. As the gas forms itpasses Aupward through the cylinder 8,' through the ;'a'pertures 12 andv13, into the'gas-holder 2.'

The Voperation is automatic, as in most machines of this class, themanufacture ofthe gas It is evident that if the burgenerated andthe'gas-holder 2 commences to ceasing as the reservoir rises andcommencing again as it falls, subject, however, in my invention to thevertical adjustability of the carbid-cylinder. The residuum or limeresulting from the chemical operation falls into the pan 33, designedtherefor.

When it is desired to renew the carbid or empty the'pan 33, the clamp 19is iirst removed aiid the cover turned to a position where it can beremoved.4 The same operation cut-s oi'lz the communication between thecylinder and gas-holder and confines the gas in the latter. As thepressure of the gas in the cylinder is-the sameas that in the gasholderthe small amount of gas therein can be let out through the pipe 24 justbefore the cover is released. The cover is then removed and the cylinder27 and pan drawn out, when the'pan can ybe ufnhooked and dumped and thecyliii'derreiilled If necessary for repairs or otherwise,` after the panis detached thebasket 30 can be removed from' below, using the bar 3l asahandle. yAfter all'neceslsary matters are'attended t'othe parts areagain placed in position, the cover replaced,

communication with the gas-hold er restored,

and the? operation proceeds as before. As is customaryv in machines ofthis nature the pressurey of the gas may be increased by weighting thegas-holder.

Fig. 3 represents a modified construction of my machine, wherein thecylinder S is'formed in one piece, the apertures 12 communicatingimmediately with lthe gas-holder 2. At the upper end the cylinder isprovided with a llange 43, resting on the annular rim 44 on the support45. 46 is al collarrigidly secured to 7the cylinder 8 and ,havingV aflange 47, upon which are two supports 1G and lugs 18 for securing thecover, which is substantially the same as in` Figs. 1 and 2, except thatit has no lugs 22 or stop 2G. The cover is clamped down, as in Fig. 1,bya'clamp 19 engaging'lugs 17. In operation, in order to cut off thecommunication between the cylinder and gasholder, the clamp 19 is firstremoved and the cover raised vertically, drawing fwith it the collar46and cylinder 8, attached thereto, until thel Vapertures 12 are coveredby packing in the annular recess 48 in the support 45, conliningV thegas in the gas-holder'andpermit- 4ting the cover to be' removed.

In Fig. 3v the refuse-pan 33 is niadedeeper and rests upon :lugs 4901ithe inner face of vthe cylinder 8, the rim 29 of the basket resting uponthe upper edgex thereof.v 50 50 are perforations in thefpan 33, whichpermit the water to enter such Lpanand come in contact with thelbasket30 and'carbid therein. In this construction the cylinder 3 serves alsoas a receptacle for the carbid, -which can be placed thereinto anydesiredheight. To clean the pan 33,- the basket 30 is removed when`empty andthe residuuiii in thefpan taken out with a long-handled scoopor by other suitable means.

The two constructions ol `carbid-holders 573,938 y i t can be usedinterchangeably with either oonstruction of the cylinder S.

W'hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is-

1. In an automatic gas-generator the co1nbination of the cylinder 8,formed of the stationary part 9 and movable part 10; the collar 7embracing such cylinder; apertures penetrating such movable part 10 andcollar 7; and the cover 14 engaging the movable portion of the cylinderS, substantially as shown and set forth. t

2. In a gas-generator the combination of the cylinder 8, composed of thesections 9 and 10; apertures 12 in the movable section 10; andV thecover 1i provided with handles 21, lugs 22, recesses 20, and stops 26,with the supports 16, having lugs 18; the relative position of therecesses 20, lugs 1S, supports 16,` and stops 2G being such, when thecover 14- is in engagement with the movable part of the cylinder 8, asto open the communication between the cylinder 8 and gas-holder 2 whenthe stops 26 are in contact With the supports 16; and cut oft suchcommunication when the recesses 2O coincide with the lugs 1S,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOI-IN II. IVAITE. IVitnesses: JAMES C. WINTERs,

JOHN W. ALEXANDER.

